PDA

View Full Version : Tips left at motels



The Weasel
04-08-2008, 20:34
A lot of people don't know it, but a large part of the income of housekeepers at motels comes from tips; they are paid very low wages other than tips. Traditionally, a tips of $1 per person in the room per day is left for the housekeeper, and more if the room is a mess.

It's a good thing to do.

TW

briarpatch
04-08-2008, 20:37
I had an arguement with a project manager on that one time. I always tip the housekeepers and had to convince her that the company should reimburse me, since I do it when I'm traveling on personal trips, too.

Appalachian Tater
04-08-2008, 20:44
$1.00 is low. $3.00 to $5.00 is more in line for one person, and if you're going to stuff four people in a room with corresponding mess it should be more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/business/07road.html?_r=1&oref=slogin

Chef2000
04-08-2008, 20:50
being in service business for 25 years i tip $5 per day

notorius tic
04-08-2008, 20:51
Well a great find ty for the search BE POLITE TAKE CARE OFF OURSELFS

4eyedbuzzard
04-08-2008, 21:02
A nice reminder Weasel. While staying out of town on business I usually stay at Residence Inns or other efficiency type hotels. I'll ususally leave $25 a week as generally housekeeping tends to straighten up the kitchen area as well even though they aren't supposed/obligated to. I was on a 5 month job in Ohio in 2007 and the Russian housekeeping girl kept my room absolutely spotless after the first week's tip, plus I got a free room upgrade almost immediately after. Can't help but think leaving a good tip didn't play into getting the upgrade.

The Weasel
04-08-2008, 21:07
Can't help but think leaving a good tip didn't play into getting the upgrade.

Doing well by doing good.

TW

Sly
04-08-2008, 21:11
I noticed most places don't leave envelopes any more. No excuse not to tip but they were a friendly reminder.

Appalachian Tater
04-08-2008, 21:13
I noticed most places don't leave envelopes any more. No excuse not to tip but they were a friendly reminder.Don't churches still have them? They used to send a whole box every year, around Christmas.

Rain Man
04-08-2008, 21:15
A lot of people don't know it, but a large part of the income of housekeepers at motels comes from tips; they are paid very low wages other than tips. ...

You are absolutely right. I didn't know for many years that tips were "expected" for motel staff.

This is particularly true on a one-night stay, where the maid doesn't actual give you any service. At least, not like a waiter in a restaurant, who is taking care of you all through the meal. In cases of a one-night stay, frankly the motel should pay a fair wage.

Still, once I learned "better," I started leaving tips even on one-night stays. However, I still have no idea if the tip is based on the night, the number of people, or the room charge (like tipping in a restaurant).

It isn't this way, but in a perfect world, any tip would be only for extraordinary service. The wages paid would cover all ordinary service.

Rain:sunMan

.

Ron Haven
04-08-2008, 21:15
thanks weasel

vonfrick
04-08-2008, 21:16
i always leave $5, and i clean up bc i have ocd

OutdoorsMan
04-08-2008, 22:39
I never knew that and feel so bad for not doing so. I must admit that I have wondered if it would be appropriate to leave a tip but I never have. Although I seldom stay in hotels, I will leave generous tips from now on when I do. I have never seen a tip envelope.

The Weasel
04-08-2008, 22:41
For any who think I'm cheap, I used $1 here because thrus are sort of at the low end of the finance ladder, and I don't want people to think it's too deep a reach into their pockets. If there are 4 people in a room, that would mean $4, and, as I said, if you really leave a room murky, more is better.

I view this as part of a room cost, frankly, not as a tip. And I've NOT left it if the room wasn't particularly clean when I got it (at least, if it should have been...some motels are so far down the quality list that cleaning isn't possible!), and a bit more if there was something special about it, such as turned down bed or a mint left by the housekeeper, or something really nice.

Things like this help tell people that backpackers may look like trash, but they don't act like it. Think of it this way: You're making the 'keeper happier for the people who come after you, and you're getting the benefit of it from the people ahead of you.

TW

Skyline
04-08-2008, 22:52
This is one of the better threads on WB of late.

I've always left tips for motel housekeepers, unless the room was so bad upon my arrival that I questioned if they even changed the sheets. If I'm solo, about $3 per night; if with others, I encourage them to leave at least $2 each. Plus any spare silver, which if I'm hiking I don't want anyway. More if it's warranted by the cleanliness or extra service.

warraghiyagey
04-08-2008, 22:54
Staying at Shaw's opened my eyes to how I could be as beautiful as the good people I meet. I always leave at leat 5$ as hostels and as I too have a smidge of ocd I always usually even make up my bed even though I know it's going to be changed anyway. It's good to be good to those folk.
If all else fails I leave these tips . . .
Never pet a burning dog.
Never swallow anything bigger than your head.
;)

Appalachian Tater
04-08-2008, 23:04
Staying at Shaw's opened my eyes to how I could be as beautiful as the good people I meet. I always leave at leat 5$ as hostels and as I too have a smidge of ocd I always usually even make up my bed even though I know it's going to be changed anyway. It's good to be good to those folk.
If all else fails I leave these tips . . .
Never pet a burning dog.
Never swallow anything bigger than your head.
;)If you want to be nice and you know (hope?) they're going to change the sheets, you could strip the bed instead of making it back up!

Wise Old Owl
04-08-2008, 23:07
Weasel which state is this?

The Weasel
04-08-2008, 23:22
Weasel which state is this?

Huh?

I try to leave tips in every state, and outside the country. Is that what you're asking?

TW

warraghiyagey
04-09-2008, 00:20
If you want to be nice and you know (hope?) they're going to change the sheets, you could strip the bed instead of making it back up!
Well, yeah. . . there's perfect logic there for sure. . . ocd doesn't always adhere to perfect logic, although I always try to.;)

Appalachian Tater
04-09-2008, 00:28
Well, yeah. . . there's perfect logic there for sure. . . ocd doesn't always adhere to perfect logic, although I always try to.;)If you are truly OCD and make the bed back up very neatly, they'll think you didn't sleep in it and won't change the sheets. Please stop! Or at least leave a note explaining all this.

warraghiyagey
04-09-2008, 00:31
If you are truly OCD and make the bed back up very neatly, they'll think you didn't sleep in it and won't change the sheets. Please stop! Or at least leave a note explaining all this.
Believe me. . . at Shaw's, they KNOW.;)
Everywhere else as well. And my logic has actually gotten me to help tear down the beds over the years.;)

mudhead
04-09-2008, 11:47
Course, you heard what the leper left.

Appalachian Tater
04-09-2008, 12:28
Believe me. . . at Shaw's, they KNOW.;)
Everywhere else as well. And my logic has actually gotten me to help tear down the beds over the years.;)

This was a fun movie you might enjoy: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115734/

Jack Tarlin
04-09-2008, 13:02
Right on, Weasel.

99% of hikers don't leave dime one when they stay in a motel, and this is one of the things that can REALLY help keep motels hiker friendly. Sooner or later, after hearing of al the complaints from the staff re. extra cleaning, disgusting messes, ovberflowing trash, puke in the bathtub, etc., this is one of the things that eventually results in places deciding that not only can they throw out the hiker discount, but they decdide they can do with out hikers altogether.

Keeping hotel staff happy is a really important, hats off Weasel for starting this thread.

Lion King
04-09-2008, 13:26
Today in Ottawa I didnt leave a tip.

I went for breakfast at 8, came back at 8:30 and my bed was stripped and my towels were gone.

I hadnt checked out, all my stuff was all over the room still and I had the "PRIVACY" thing on the door.

XUG??? (Since you cant type in Waaa Thee FFFF anymore, Ill use letters after those)

I like eating breakfast, coming back, taking a shower and laying back for an hour or so wathcing Mythbusters before i take off.

other then that, I agree with the thread.

10-K
04-09-2008, 13:42
. I was on a 5 month job in Ohio in 2007 and the Russian housekeeping girl kept my room absolutely spotless after the first week's tip, plus I got a free room upgrade almost immediately after. Can't help but think leaving a good tip didn't play into getting the upgrade.

Karma - cause and effect.

SGT Rock
04-09-2008, 13:44
Hey Weasel, thanks for point this out. I was never sure haw to handle that.

The Weasel
04-10-2008, 12:49
A small further educational aspect for hikers about housekeepers at motels:

Keep in mind that housekeepers are usually assigned a specific number of rooms and a specific amount of time to do them, regardless of their condition. That means that they are expected to clean a really trashed room as fast as one that has only routine normal work needed. If they don't complete all rooms on time, they may end up in various kinds of trouble with their supervisor. Inevitably, they will blame - often rightly, sometimes not - hikers for leaving rooms "nasty." Since they have to work harder, faster for such rooms to be finished on schedule, tips really aren't a "thanks" but a direct payment: The room rate doesn't cover, really, the leaving a room in rough shape.

Thanks for treating housekeepers nice. They don't make a lot, even with tips.

TW

jhick
04-10-2008, 13:43
I agree Weasel. This reminds me of a scene from Reservoir Dogs... great movie.

*warning - language a lil rough *

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enJwYaeolXc&feature=related

DavidNH
04-10-2008, 14:17
All I can say is there is no excuse for hikers to leave the room in a trashed condition. I would think that out of basic respect, the room should be left reasonably clean.

If even a minority of hkers completely trash their rooms.. hikers will lose any privilages at these motels.. tips or no tips. At least that is my fealing.

David

The Weasel
04-10-2008, 15:02
David ---

Sometimes "trashed" isn't "trashed", as in when 4 people just use everything in a room hard, and come in dirty. That's normal, and you don't have to leave a room "clean", I don't think. But when hikers leave a room really nasty, either they better tip huge or not stay at all.

TW

AlwaysHiking
04-10-2008, 15:33
$1.00 is low. $3.00 to $5.00 is more in line for one person, and if you're going to stuff four people in a room with corresponding mess it should be more.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/03/07/business/07road.html?_r=1&oref=slogin


being in service business for 25 years i tip $5 per day


I worked in hotels all through college. A good rule of thumb is if you're staying for multiple days, $1 a day is fine. Tip $5 on the day(s) they change your bedding and especially on the day you check out. If you're there for only one night, yes at least $5.

AlwaysHiking
04-10-2008, 15:37
If you are truly OCD and make the bed back up very neatly, they'll think you didn't sleep in it and won't change the sheets. Please stop! Or at least leave a note explaining all this.

In the nice places they change them whenever a room is checked out of. At least in all of the nice places I worked at in college.

AlwaysHiking
04-10-2008, 15:47
All I can say is there is no excuse for hikers to leave the room in a trashed condition. I would think that out of basic respect, the room should be left reasonably clean.

If even a minority of hkers completely trash their rooms.. hikers will lose any privilages at these motels.. tips or no tips. At least that is my fealing.

David

A little off topic, but you wanna see trashed, take a peek at a room after gypsies have checked out. After only a weekend long stay, had to replace wall vinyl, carpeting, plumbing and furniture in about 6 rooms. A little spot cleaning to get muddy boot prints out of the carpet after a hiker checks out is nothing compared to that mess.

AlwaysHiking
04-10-2008, 15:53
A small further educational aspect for hikers about housekeepers at motels:

Keep in mind that housekeepers are usually assigned a specific number of rooms and a specific amount of time to do them, regardless of their condition. That means that they are expected to clean a really trashed room as fast as one that has only routine normal work needed. If they don't complete all rooms on time, they may end up in various kinds of trouble with their supervisor. Inevitably, they will blame - often rightly, sometimes not - hikers for leaving rooms "nasty." Since they have to work harder, faster for such rooms to be finished on schedule, tips really aren't a "thanks" but a direct payment: The room rate doesn't cover, really, the leaving a room in rough shape.

Thanks for treating housekeepers nice. They don't make a lot, even with tips.

TW

That's true and it's not. If a room is a checkout, they're given a little more time with it b/c they have to do a more thorough cleaning. The stayovers are given less time b/c all they're really doing there is tidying up.


Thanks though to you for bringing it up in the first place. A lot of people, not just hikers, don't know that tipping is appreciated by housekeeping. They're the lowest paid staff in a hotel and yet they work the hardest.

A-Train
04-10-2008, 16:16
Good points Weasel. Anyone further interested in life as a motel housekeeper should pick up 'Nickle and Dimed' by Barbara Ehrenreich, about life working multiple minimum wage jobs in the service industry. It'll make you think twice about stiffing a waitress or not leaving a tip at a motel.

rickb
04-10-2008, 19:25
I worked in hotels all through college. A good rule of thumb is if you're staying for multiple days, $1 a day is fine. Tip $5 on the day(s) they change your bedding and especially on the day you check out. If you're there for only one night, yes at least $5.

Here is a question for you.

As a busboy (then waiter) at an OK restaurant, I think the number of parties that I had leave without leaving a tip was way less than 1 in 25.

What was your experience when working in hotels percentage wise?

AlwaysHiking
04-10-2008, 19:54
Here is a question for you.

As a busboy (then waiter) at an OK restaurant, I think the number of parties that I had leave without leaving a tip was way less than 1 in 25.

What was your experience when working in hotels percentage wise?

Not sure, I never worked in the housekeeping dept., cleaned a number of rooms in my time, but not on a very regular basis. Only when someone dropped the ball and didn't get it done and the guest came up blaming the front desk. A couple times when there were lots of call outs in the HK dept. I'd chip in and do a half dozen rooms, otherwise the girls who did make it to work that day would have 30 rooms a piece, but I always gave any tips to the regular girl though.

If you ever need to make change for a buck, ask a housekeeper, lots of their tips are in the form of coin change.